Whose respect are we trying to earn?
We all have a need to be respected. At a basic level, when we enter a room, we would like to be noticed, greeted, and [...]
Healthy and unhealthy foundations for self-respect
Some people treat self-respect as the most important thing in their life. When they feel that others are disrespecting or mistreating them, that becomes for [...]
When our conscience speaks ….
We all have inside us an inner guiding voice: the voice of conscience that guides us to act in ways that are worthwhile, ennobling and [...]
Knowledge & value (From ignorance to knowledge series 3)
Knowledge & value- Value knowledge: It’s easy to value property, possessions or other visible forms of wealth. It’s easy also to value other tangible things [...]
The mysterious door to knowledge (From ignorance to knowledge series 2)
The mysterious door to knowledge - Suppose we see a majestic palace and notice a low door to enter into it. Intrigued, we bend ourselves, [...]
When our ignorance is exposed … (From ignorance to knowledge series 1)
When our ignorance is exposed - Because we are tiny beings living in a huge and complex world, what we know will always be dwarfed [...]
How can we improve our mental health? (Mental health series 5)
How can we improve our mental health? - Let’s understand by considering how we improve our physical health: broadly by providing our body good nutrition [...]
Will ethical self-assessment increase our guilt? (Ethics & devotion series 5)
Will ethical self-assessment increase our guilt? - If we are told to assess ourselves ethically, we may fear, “I already feel guilty because I can’t [...]
Does the world hate me? (Beyond black and white conceptions series 6)
Does the world hate me? - Suppose we greet someone at a get-together and they don’t respond. We may be taken aback. Suppose several people [...]
Go beyond virtue signaling (Beyond black and white conceptions series 4)
Go beyond virtue signaling - When we see someone doing something horribly wrong, we may feel driven to protest or correct. Nowadays when activism is [...]
How our experience may increase our ignorance (Beyond black and white conceptions series 2)
How our experience may increase our ignorance - Suppose someone has hurt us badly, several times. We may start seeing them as a villain, a [...]
How black and white conceptions disempower us (Beyond black and white conceptions series 1)
How black and white conceptions disempower us - When a small child learns to recognize black and white colors, that’s a step forward in their [...]
How to mentor the mind? (Managing the mind series 7)
How to mentor the mind? - Our mind is restless like a child (Bhagavad-gita 06.34). To help it outgrow its fickleness, we need to mentor [...]
Why monitoring the mind is so important (Managing the mind series 6)
Why monitoring the mind is so important - Suppose we are piloting a plane, taking it on an important mission. Suppose further we have been [...]
Two principles for making our mind our friend (Managing the mind series 5)
Two principles for making our mind our friend - Suppose we are named guardians of the son of some old friends who have suddenly passed [...]
Developing a healthy relationship with our mind (Managing the mind series 4)
Developing a healthy relationship with our mind - We don’t usually realize how much our mind controls us. Nonetheless, we do get some glimpses of [...]
What’s wrong with treating the mind as an enemy (Managing the mind 3)
What’s wrong with treating the mind as an enemy - Suppose we live in a house whose accessway is controlled by a neighbor. Though they [...]
Are we the fisherman or the fish? (Managing the mind 2)
Are we the fisherman or the fish? - Suppose a fisherman casts a bait in a river to catch a fish. The fisherman stands to [...]
Watch your mental input (Managing the mind series 1)
Watch your mental input - Suppose we are going on tour, riding a strong swift horse. Suppose the horse catches sight of a juicy vegetable [...]
Why anger should be used sparingly … (Anger management series 7)
Why anger should be used sparingly - A great power like nuclear power can be used for deterrence and defence, but it can also be [...]
How to use anger without being used by anger (Anger management series 6)
How to use anger without being used by anger - Suppose someone we are responsible for does something self-destructive, even after we have repeatedly warned [...]